Alliance native John Borton started as a freshman at Ohio State in 1951 as a linebacker. The following season, he became the school's first great passer, making the transition to quarterback.

Borton threw for a school record 1,555 yards as a sophomore in 1952.

Under second-year head coach Woody Hayes, Borton's mastery of the Split-T offense produced a season well ahead of its time. The sophomore threw for over 1,500 yards, a school record that stood for 27 years. His 115 completions on 196 attempts were also records, and high-water marks under Hayes, who preferred the ground game.

Against Washington State that year, Borton threw for 312 yards. It was the first 300-game ever by a Buckeye, and he didn't get company until 1980. His five touchdown passes in that game is still tied for the most ever by an OSU quarterback in a single contest.

For his career, Borton had 2,129 yards, still the 17th highest figure by a Buckeye. His 57 percent completion rate still rates seventh all-time.

He was a co-captain on Ohio State's 1954 National Championship team, but missed most of the season with a broken finger.

Borton's life after football and words from Len Dawson per cantonrep.com:

John Borton started his Ohio State career as a linebacker before setting records as a quarterback.

His love for the game lasted his entire life.

Borton’s daughter, Betsy Hedrick, said football was her father’s only relief from a bipolar condition that overtook him late in life. Borton died April 9, 2002.

“If we could get him talking about football, he’d return to his old self,” she said. “Otherwise, he’d be troubled a lot by his medical condition.”

Borton was the first in a series of standout quarterbacks for Mel Knowlton at Alliance. Another player on that list is Len Dawson, who starred at Purdue University then played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs.

“John was a great example for the young quarterbacks coming through the system at Alliance,” said Dawson, a 1987 Pro Football Hall of Famer who also is in the Stark County Football Hall of Fame. “We all looked up to him.”

Highlights of John Borton's football career:

• Played linebacker as a freshman at Ohio State before moving to quarterback during his sophomore and junior years. Missed senior season because of injury.

• His five touchdown passes against Washington State was an Ohio State record.

• His best season was 1952, when he was 115-of-196 yards for 1,555 yards and 15 touchdowns.

• Borton finished his Ohio State career having completed 167-of-293 passes for 2,129 yards and 18 touchdowns.

• Was an injured senior captain on the 1954 Rose Bowl and National Champion winning team

• 1952 Borton throws three touchdown passes versus That Team in a 27-7 victory.

• Drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the 13th round (157th overall) in 1955 and joined the team in 1957 after being discharged from the U.S. Naval Reserve. Completed 3-of-6 passes for 22 yards in 1957, his only season.

An All-American and two-time First Team All-Big Ten selection, Neal Colzie is in the Buckeye Top 10 for interceptions in a season and career, interception yards in a game, interception returns for a touchdown in a season and career, career punt

Colzie set a then Super Bowl record 43 punt return yards in the victory over the Vikings in Super Bowl XI.

return yards, punt returns in a game, season and career, and punt returns for touchdowns in a season and career. Colzie remains the record holder for punt return yards in a game (170) and season (679), both set in 1973. Drafted in the first round of the 1975 NFL draft, Colzie went on to a nine-season pro career in which he played for the Raiders, Dolphins and Buccaneers. In his first season, he recorded 655 punt return yards, an NFL rookie record. He won Super Bowl XI with the Raiders, with four punt returns for a Super Bowl record of 43 yards, including a 25-yard return to set up a Raiders touchdown and a 12-yard return that set up a field goal. Colzie passed away in 2001.

Neal Colzie career and life highlights:

• His father, Jim Colzie, was a pitcher in the Negro League.

• Colzie was named to the All-Big Ten Team in 1973 and 1974.

• He was an All-American in 1974.

• At Ohio State, Colzie recorded 15 interceptions (4th in school history at the time) and returned 60 punts for 855 yards (Ohio State record at the time) and two touchdowns.

• The Oakland Raider selected him with the 24th pick of the first round of the 1975 NFL Draft.

• Colzie was a punt returner on the Oakland Raiders team that won Super Bowl XI over the Minnesota Vikings.

Oh No! Not the 1998 MSU game punt! If their Punter was worth a crap, we play Tennessee for the 1st BCS title! Only thing that makes this easier to swallow is that if we beat MSU, we would have probably choked against Michigan instead of drilling the Tom Brady-led scUM team 31-16 that year. Wiley had a long run early and Boston taunted scUM defenders all day as he ran into the Endzone. There! now I feel better!